The family of a father detained in Dubai is expressing deep concerns over his well-being, fearing for his life due to the harsh conditions at the facility where he is being held. Ryan Pepper, 27, has been in custody in the United Arab Emirates since November 3, 2025, without any clear reasons provided for his detention and minimal contact with his family. Detained in Dubai, an advocacy group, reports that Ryan has allegedly suffered physical and psychological abuse, facing threats from his captors, while British authorities struggle to gain access to him.
According to the family, Ryan has been deprived of phone access for an extended period, resorting to smuggling handwritten notes to communicate with them. In these notes, he describes the facility as a place of torment where fellow detainees have been mistreated and robbed by the police. His family, having received distressing messages from him, now fears that Ryan may not survive the ordeal he is enduring.
Chloe, Ryan’s sister, shared that initially, they hoped for his deportation, but his messages turned alarming, detailing instances of violence, isolation, and communication deprivation among detainees. A fellow detainee informed the family that Ryan had been subjected to abuse and solitary confinement for 20 days before being hospitalized for severe injuries sustained during beatings.
Detained in Dubai claims that the hospitalization was linked to assaults in custody, contradicting official statements from the UAE government attributing it to complications from a previous surgery. Despite efforts by the British Embassy to visit Ryan, their attempts were thwarted by sudden restrictions.
Ryan, who had relocated to Dubai seeking a fresh start, recounted feeling unsafe to speak openly as detainees were threatened prior to meeting British officials. Following his arrest upon returning from a trip, he remains incarcerated alongside others. The family, along with other Britons in similar predicaments, anxiously await updates on their loved ones’ well-being.
Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Dubai, highlighted the challenges faced by British officials in investigating torture allegations when detainees fear reprisal for speaking out. The family’s distress is compounded by past instances of Britons facing tragic outcomes in Dubai’s custody, emphasizing the urgent need for clarity and safety assurances. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has been approached for comment by The Daily Mirror.
